You’re really not American if you don’t love a crispy, cheesy grilled cheese. I crave them, and when I have no idea what to make for dinner and I’m unprepared, I usually turn to the good ole’ fashioned grilled cheese to save the day. I mean it’s literally three ingredients that you ALWAYS have!
Well today, I am amping up the traditional, basic grilled cheese into three decadent and gooey alternatives. These recipes are not for the faint of heart. If you even smell one of these your clean eating kick will be completely ruined.
I really wanted to make grilled cheese out of some of my favorite foods: everything bagels, sloppy joes and blueberries. I must say, I feel pretty darn successful with these three sandwiches because omg, after we were done shooting, they were devoured in like 3 minutes. If I HAD to choose, I’d say the brie, basil and blueberry is my favorite, followed by the sloppy joe. The everything bagel is amazing too but just make sure you don’t cover the bread in the seasoning . A little bit goes a long way!
Here’s a quick little summary of each grilled cheese IMO:
Basic “B” Grilled Cheese
I mean I call it the Basic B because first, there are FOUR ingredients that start with the letter B in this recipe, and second, it’s totally your typical basic bitch flavor profile. What chick doesn’t love Brie on anything? It’s the perfect hangover food after a night of too much rosé.
Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joe Style
I grew up eating Manwich sloppy joes that my dad would make for my brothers and I. And wow they were sooo good. However, I created this sloppy joe recipe for my post-college “sophisticated” self. Lol. Sloppy joes and sophisticated do not mix, but I had to at least make my own mixture from scratch. And we’re really veering away from sophisticated once the Kraft singles enter the picture. Yes, gross, maybe. But not on this sandwich. It’s the only cheese that works for this guys I’m sorry.
Everything Bagel Grilled Cheese
The Everything Bagel seasonings are so damn good that they made an entire spice jar out of it. Need I say more? I love me a thick layer of cream cheese on my bagels so transferring that over to this sandwich, and making it more of a “sandwich” with the Gruyere… wow. Now you can have an Everything Bagel flavor profile for breakfast and lunch. You’re welcome.
Basic "B" Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices thick white bread
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp blueberry preserves Get a quality kind; no Smuckers please
- 4 slices Brie cheese
- 4 basil leaves
Instructions
- Turn on your grill or stovetop burner and let it heat up.
- Spread one side of each slice of bread with a light layer of butter. This will be the outside of the sandwich.
- Sprinkle brown sugar on top of the buttered side of each bread slice.
- Flip each slice over and spread a layer of blueberry preserves.
- Layer brie slices and whole basil leaves on top of the blueberry preserves.
- Put bread together and grill each side until golden brown and cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joe Style
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 4 slices Kraft American cheese single oh yeah
- 8 slices dill pickles Claussen are my fave
Instructions
- Cook onions, garlic and peppers until softened.
- Add in ground beef and cook until brown.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add in tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir until fully incorporated.
- Add in ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Let simmer until it thickens a bit.
- Butter the outside of bread slices.
- Lay four slices on heated stovetop burner.
- Layer dill pickles and Kraft American singles onto each slice of bread.
- Scoop sloppy joe mixture on top of pickles and cheese.
- Place other halves of bread onto the sloppy joe mixture.
- Grill until each side is golden brown and cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
Everything Bagel Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 1 tbsp Mayo
- 2 tbsp Cream Cheese
- 2 slices Gruyere cheese
- Everything But The Bagel seasoning Trader Joe's is my favorite
Instructions
- Turn on your grill or stovetop burner and let it heat up.
- Spread one side of each slice of bread with a light layer of mayo. This will be the outside of the sandwich.
- Sprinkle Everything But The Bagel seasoning overtop the mayo.
- Spread the other side of bread slices with cream cheese.
- Layer gruyere slices on top of the cream cheese side.
- Put together and grill each side until golden brown and cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!